Multichoice Nigeria has moved forward with its planned price increases for DStv and GOtv subscribers despite a recent court ruling ordering the company to halt the rate adjustments.
Initially announced on April 24, Multichoice informed subscribers of forthcoming fee hikes for its cable services, scheduled to take effect from May 1.
However, a competition and consumer protection tribunal (CCPT) in Abuja issued an interim order to stop the price hike following an ex-parte motion.
Despite the court’s directive, a recent check revealed that Multichoice has proceeded with the tariff adjustment as originally planned. The updated prices are now being displayed and enforced on its official website.
For DStv Premium subscribers, the price has risen significantly from N29,500 to N37,000. Similarly, Compact Plus subscribers are now paying N25,000 instead of N19,800. The rates for Compact, Confam, and Yanga subscribers have also been adjusted upwards.
GOtv subscribers are also affected by the price increase, with changes reflected on their official websites. Elite subscribers (Supa+ and Supa) now pay N15,700 and N9,600, respectively, while Max and Jolli subscribers are expected to pay N7,200 and N4,850, respectively.
Multichoice attributed the price hike to factors such as the foreign exchange crunch, high electricity tariff, and operational costs.
The Federal Competition & Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) plans to probe the reasons behind the price increase, involving regulatory bodies like the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in the process. If Multichoice is found to be manipulating the market or setting arbitrary prices, the firm could face sanctions.
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